Devices for holding arrays of electrical connectors, such as RJ-45 or RJ-11 plug connectors, are known. These devices facilitate connection and disconnection of the arrays of plug connectors to and from corresponding arrays of socket connectors in electrical equipment, such as telephone and data network switches, for example.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,978 of Stellman et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,950 of Eginton et al. describe holders including a handle to facilitate connection and disconnection of an array of plug-type electrical connectors. The holders include positioning features for engagement with crimp slots of the electrical connectors, to prevent the connectors from moving relative to the holder following installation. Eginton et al. discloses removing a barb latch of each connector before mounting the connectors in the holder, to eliminate the need to depress the barb latches when disconnecting the array of connectors. In place of the barb latches, Eginton et al. disclose a clip that is mounted between the holder and at least one of the electrical connectors and which does not require manual depression for releasing the connector array.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,564 of Belmore, III, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,585 of Bradley et al. disclose devices including a connector holder and an elongate latch release bar coupled to the connector holder. A row of RJ-45 plug connectors is mounted in the connector holder for simultaneous insertion into a corresponding array of mating socket connectors. Both the '564 and '585 patents disclose latch release bars that are slidably mounted to the holder and are manipulated to simultaneously depress a latch tab of each plug connector in the connector holder, thereby facilitating simultaneous disconnection of the plug connectors from the array of mating socket connectors.
The present inventors have recognized a need for improved devices for holding a plurality of cable connectors in a ganged array, improved methods of connecting and latching ganged arrays of cable connectors to arrays of mating connectors, and improved methods of disconnecting ganged cable connectors from mating connectors.